


Simulation

by Turn_of_the_Sonic_Screw



Series: AU Yeah August 2018 [27]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Internet, Online Relationship, Role-Playing Game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-07-03 09:30:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15816171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Turn_of_the_Sonic_Screw/pseuds/Turn_of_the_Sonic_Screw
Summary: Neither of them wants to meet in person.   Then, of course, they do.Prompt: Internet AUPairing: Joker/EDI





	Simulation

**Author's Note:**

> Beta by imaginary_golux
> 
> T for some swearing

Jokesonyou: dude that was some sweeeeet flying

Jokesonyou: like inhumanly good

(EDI321 is typing…)

EDI321: Thank you. 

In hindsight, Joker would recognize the fact that she took so long to respond to a simple compliment as a red flag.

EDI321: Your shooting was also very good. For a human. 

EDI321: That was a joke.

Jokesonyou: lolol 

Jokesonyou: wanna try some of the coop missions? the new turian ones are kicking my @$$

(EDI321 is typing…)

EDI321: Yes, I believe I would enjoy that.

Jokesonyou: bitchin

And that, Joker reflected, was the start of their glorious partnership, carving up the co-op leaderboards on Mass Effect: Starfighter, the hot new space combat flight sim/RPG. Of course, he may have had an unfair advantage, since he was a military test pilot, but hey, not like there was anything stopping the rest of these fuckers from dragging themselves out of their parents’ basements, acing the exams to skip basic and go right into flight school, then surviving years of advanced training. And they probably didn’t have Vrolik’s syndrome, either.

That fact he was going to keep very quietly to himself, however; the last thing he needed was for the cripple ‘jokes’ to come back out. Not like he hadn’t seen the kind of bullshit people threw at Edi for daring to be a girl who was good at video games. Jesus, what a bunch of low-lifes.

Jokesonyou: hey, I know we’re both on the north american server, but where exactly are you?

EDI321: I am located somewhere outside of Vancouver.

Jokesonyou: hey me too!!

EDI321: I am afraid I cannot be more specific than that.

Jokesonyou: oooo lady of mystery. i like it. sexxxy

EDI321: Thank you. Your humor, intelligence, and ability are also attractive.

Joker waited for the inevitable “That was a joke.” It didn’t come. Holy shit, he thought, a girl who liked video games and had spent more than a month talking to him, and she thought he was funny? Too good to be real. Good enough to risk her seeing him and laughing at his awkward gait and crutches? He typed quickly and hit send before he could stop himself.

Jokesonyou: hey you wanna meet up this weekend? I know this great pub downtown

EDI321: I am afraid I am unable to meet at this time. I am having work done on my housing.

Jokesonyou: yeah, no problem. gotta watch those contractors like a fucking hawk. maybe some other time?

EDI321: sooner than you think

Well, that was promising, Joker thought as he typed his goodbyes for the night. Kind of a weird excuse, but ‘sooner than you think’ sounded enticing. He’d ask again in a couple weeks; his sister had her flat’s floor redone and it took the workers most of a month. And anyway, he could wait. Rumor had it they were about to start a new project at work...

Joker saluted as he entered the sim room. “Admiral Hackett, sir! If you don’t mind me asking, what are you doing here?”

The aged man barked a gruff laugh. “You mean why is the commandant of the base rubbing elbows with the pilots? Let’s just say I’m here to observe your new co-pilot.” A door opened and a slim feminine robot stepped through. “We call her the Enhanced Defense Intelligence: EDI for short.”

A dazzling smile full of steel teeth gleamed at him. “It’s good to meet you, Lieutenant Moreau.”

“Now, I know she may seem strange, but--”

“Admiral,” Joker interrupted his superior, “I think we’re going to be just fine.”

**Author's Note:**

> Does anyone know how to indent or otherwise set off their IMs? I want the formatting to be different from Joker's internal narration/the real world.


End file.
